WEBVTT MIKE: CHANGES MIGHT BE ON THE WAY FOR STATE PROGRAMS THAT CARE FOR THOSE WITH THIS ABILITY'S AND SENIORS THAT NEED LONG-TERM CARE. THE NEXT STATE BUDGET COULD ELIMINATE A SELF DIRECTED, LONG-TERM CARE FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES OR SOME ELDERLY. PEOPLE TAKING PART IN IRIS CAN CONTROL THEIR OWN PLAN BASED ON THEIR OWN NEEDS WITHIN AN APPROVED BUDGET. IRIS OR DISAPPEARANCE -- PARTICIPANTS CAN HIGHER HELPERS WHICH MEANS THAT MANY CAN STAY IN THEIR OWN HOMES AS IT IS GOING TO NURSING FACILITIES. GOVERNOR WALKER PROPOSED MOVING IT INTO FAMILY CARE AND CONTRACTING TO INSURANCE PROVIDERS TO OVERSEE THE PLANS. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TWEAKED THE PLAN IN PLACES, ADDING PARTS THAT ENROLLEES CAN CONTROL THEIR PLAN AND RECEIVE STATE STIPENDS TO COVER SERVICES THEY NEED JUST AS IRIS OR VICE. -- JUST AS IRIS PROVIDES. ADVOCATES FOR THE DISABLED AND ELDERLY SAY THEY ARE STILL CONCERNED. WE ARE JOINED BY THE MANAGING ATTORNEY, KIT KERSCHSTEINER FROM DISABILITY RIGHTS WISCONSIN, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. KIT: THINK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MIKE: YOU HAVE BEEN VOCAL IN YOUR OPPOSITION TO THESE CHANGES. AT THIS STAGE, DO YOU HAVE ANY CHANCE OF THE LAWMAKERS NOT DOING WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT DOING? KIT: WE HOPE SO. YOU NEVER KNOW UNTIL THE LAST VOTE IS PASSED AND THE BILL IS SIGNED. WE ARE NOT STOPPING AT THIS POINT. THE JOINT FINANCE HAS CONCLUDED MOST OF ITS WORK. THERE IS ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY IN SORT OF A KITCHEN SINK MOTION TO MAYBE CLEAR UP A FEW OF THOSE POINTS THAT ARE STILL ABLE TO BE ADDRESSED BY JOINT FINANCE IN A WAY THEY THINK IS NOT CONTROVERSIAL. FROM THERE, WE GO TO THE FULL LEGISLATURE AND WE WILL START UP AGAIN. PEOPLE VOTE, PEOPLE HAVE A SAY IN WHAT IS GOING FORWARD AND WE NEED TO BE AT THE CAPITAL. MIKE: YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING YOU DON'T WANT THESE CHANGES. DO YOU THINK THE LEGISLATURE HAS HEARD? KIT: WE WERE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED AFTER THE JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE VOTE BECAUSE IT CLEARLY, FROM THEIR ACTIONS -- MIKE: 12-4 IN FAVOR OF EXCHANGES. KIT: CORRECT, CORRECT. THEY HEARD THAT THEY REJECTED AND THEY DISRESPECTED THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY. MIKE: WHAT CONCERNS YOU ABOUT THESE PROPOSED CHANGES? KIT: IN THE TIME WE HAVE GOT, IT IS HARD TO PICK AND CHOOSE VERY CAREFULLY. NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE -- THE SCORECARD OF LONG-TERM CARE, STATE LONG-TERM CARE PROGRAM, WE ARE EIGHT IN THE NATION RIGHT NOW. THE PLACES THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO FOR GUIDANCE, 17 DOWN TO 51. WHAT IS WRONG WITH WHAT WE ARE DOING? IF WE CAN INCREASE IT, THEN WE ARE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT NEED TO BE IMPROVED, BUT TO THROW IT OUT AND TO START OVER WITH A FOR-PROFIT MODEL DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL TO PEOPLE. MIKE: ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HEAR FROM REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS IS THAT THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. WE CANNOT KEEP IT GOING DOWN THIS PATH. WHAT YOU SAY TO THAT? KIT: WE HAVE TO LOOK AT FAMILY CARE AND IRIS, THEY GO HAND IN HAND. OF COURSE, THE NUMBERS WILL GO UP BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE. AND, THERE HAS BEEN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE STARTED IN FAMILY CARE WHO HAVE BECOME DISENCHANTED WITH THE MANAGED-CARE FLAVOR OF IT, WHERE THEY ARE BEING TOLD, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THIS, WE ARE TELLING YOU THIS IS THE WAY IS GOING TO BE. THE AVERAGE BUDGET, YOU RECEIVE A BUDGET DEPENDING ON YOUR NEEDS, THE AVERAGE PERSON DOESN'T SPEND THAT MUCH. AND THAT IS A FACT. THE LEGISLATIVE FISCAL BUREAU WHO IS A NONPARTISAN GROUP THAT DOES ANALYSIS OF THE LEGAL AND FISCAL PIECE, SAYS IT IS UNCLEAR THAT THE NEW SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE ANY SAVINGS OR THAT THERE IS ANYTHING THAT IS REALLY NOT COST-EFFECTIVE AND WORKING IN THE SYSTEM. MIKE: THEY SAID THEY DID LISTEN TO YOU ON THIS NOTION THAT YOU CAN SELF DIRECT YOUR CARE, THAT THERE ARE PARTS OF THE PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN FAMILY CARE SO THAT YOU CAN STILL SELF DIRECT THEIR CARE. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT? CHOOSE CAN MEAN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT. IF YOU'RE GOING TO A RESTAURANT, NOT DURING THE LUNCH HOUR OR DINNER HOUR AND THEY GIVE YOU AN ABBREVIATED MENU AND YOU WOULD THERE BECAUSE YOU WANTED THE FULL AND YOU AND YOU ARE GETTING A THIRD, THAT IS NOT A CHOICE. YOU HAVE A MENU, YOU CAN CHOOSE, BUT IT IS NOT THE FULL CHOICE. IT IS THROUGH MANAGED-CARE. THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN WILLING TO COMMIT TO THE SAME TYPE OF SERVICES, THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICES. WILL THEY ALL BE AVAILABLE? YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DIRECT SOMETHING. MIKE: YOUR BIG CONCERN IS THE UNCERTAINTY. YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. IS THAT YOUR CONCERN? KIT: THEY HAVE SHIFTED TO FOR-PROFIT. EVERY NCO IS NUTS FOR PROFIT. THIS IS OPENING THE PROF WAY TO FOR-PROFIT. WHERE ARE THEY TAKING THIS PROFIT FROM? THEY ARE NOT ADDING MORE MONEY? THE IDEA IS THAT THEY WILL BE TAKING IT FROM THE CARE PLANS OR THE PROVIDER. MIKE: YOUR BIG CONCERN IS THE UNCERTAINTY. YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. IS THAT YOUR CONCERN? KIT: THEY HAVE SHIFTED TO FOR-PROFIT. EVERY NCO IS NUTS FOR PROFIT. THIS IS OPENING THE PATHWAY TO FOR-PROFIT. WHERE ARE THEY TAKING THIS PROFIT FROM? THEY ARE NOT ADDING MORE MONEY? THE IDEA IS THAT THEY WILL BE TAKING IT FROM THE CARE PLANS OR THE PROVIDER. I DON'T KNOW. IS NOT GOING TO WORK OUT TO BE A BETTER DEAL FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR THE ELDERLY. MIKE: WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. KIT: THANK YOU. MIKE: JEB BUSH IS IN, DONALD TRUMP IS IN, SCOTT WALKER IS CLOSER TO GETTING IN. WE WILL ANALYZE THE 2016 REPUBLICAN FIELD WITH RICK